He felt hurt. He felt the pain when she rejected him. He hesitantly took his hand back.
“Mr. Liu. Since you are already here, I want to tell you something. It would save me the trip to visit your office.”
He looked at her.
She took a deep breath and said, “I won’t be working in the Liu Corps from now on. I’m canceling our contract.”
His heart shook. He felt an ugly feeling rising.
“No! I mean why? It’s not necessary. Huian will apologize to you, I assure you.”
She smiled sadly, “I don’t think at this point the matter is about an apology.”
He didn’t know why but he felt panicked.
“Don’t worry, I will pay the compensation for the breach of contract. Just, please give me a little time.”
“It’s not about that. Why don’t you think about it a little more?”
“I have to leave now.”, she ignored and passed by him in quick strides.
Jinhai simply stood there. He felt awful. He felt that if he won’t stop her now, he would never see her again. She would be gone forever. It’s like they would become strangers again. And he didn’t want that. No…never!
He turned and ran behind her. He came out of the cemetery. He looked here and there but didn’t find her. The driver was about to say something but he cut him to it.
“Where is she?”
“S-sir, who?”
“Nana. She just came out of here. Where did she go?”, Jinhai asked coldly running out of patience.
The driver sensed it would be better to just answer and not ask anything.
He pointed, “She took a right turn over there.”
Jinhai didn’t waste any time and left. The driver was dumbfounded. What happened? I never saw sir so frantic before.
Jinhai followed her path and found her not very far away from him.
“Nana!”, he called out.
She stiffened a little but kept on walking.
“Nana wait! Listen to me please.”, he hardly took three long steps and reached her within no time.
They both were now wet from the rain.
He held her hand to stop her from leaving. “Nana-“
“Miss Nana. It’s Miss Nana for you. We are not that close enough for you to call me just by my name.”, she looked at his hand holding hers, “and please let go.”
He stared at her. “Alright…Miss Nana. Just listen to me. I know Huian has done a horrible thing to you. I apologize to you and Huian will too. But, don’t leave the company. I give you my word you will not suffer again.”, he said with utmost seriousness.
Nana was also able to see that. But she had to end this now.
“After today, nothing is left for anything to go wrong. So, I have to go. And you should be with your wife right now. She must be needing you by her side.”, she said killing every emotion she ever felt for him.
Jinhai felt indignant. He was getting angry that she kept on pushing him away from her.
He gritted his teeth and said, “I’m asking you to think it over.”
“And I’m saying that there is no need.”, she was losing her patience.
“Miss-”
“Enough Mr. Liu!”, she cried loudly in anguish.
He froze.
The dam of those tears she held for so long finally broke out.
“I am tired of this! How long…just how long will I be subjected to those same insults? How long will I have to bear other’s criticism? Tell me. What did I do wrong?”, she sobbed.
Nana had never raised her voice in her twenty-two years of life. But now she wanted to let out all the injustice and unfairness she went through all this time.
“What is my mistake? Oh yes, people say that I’m more pretty. Is that what it is? But why is it my fault!? I didn’t ask God to give me this face. So, why am I getting this treatment? Why can’t I just live a normal life?”
She buried her face in her hands. “I’m so tired of always putting up a strong front.”
Her sobbing shook him completely. No, I don’t want to see you crying like this.
She wiped her tears and looked at him. Without saying anything, she turned to leave.
Jinhai said, “Wait!”
She didn’t answer.
“I said wait!!”, he grabbed her arm and pulled her in his embrace.
She was stunned and looked up to protest but before she could even utter a word, his thin, soft lips pressed onto hers.
Her brain short wired and eyes widened in disbelief.
Jinhai pulled her closer. His one hand held her waist and the other the back of her head. He did not want to think about what was right and what was wrong. Right now, he just wanted to do what his heart urged him to do.
His lips moved slowly across hers claiming every inch of it. He could taste raindrops on her lips, and he found them as sweet as honey. He kept on kissing her like there was no tomorrow. Their hot breaths intertwined and his soft, delicate kiss intensified sending wild tremors along her nerves. He pressed on so tightly not leaving even the tiniest bit of space in between.
Nana’s heart was drumming louder and louder. From this close, she could smell his scent and feel his heart beating wildly against her chest. She felt like fireworks bursting and her cheeks flushed crimson red when the friction of his lips on hers coursed a strong current inside her.
